On September 2, the world celebrates the Day of the end of the Second World War, and Ukraine celebrates Notary Day. On this day in 1996, a significant event took place in Ukraine – the introduction of the hryvnia as the national currency.
The day of the end of the Second World War
On September 2, the world celebrates the end of World War II, one of the largest and bloodiest wars in human history. This date symbolizes the end of the conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945 and changed the course of history of many countries and peoples.
On September 2, 1945, the Act of Surrender of Japan was signed on board the American battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The ceremony was attended by representatives of allied states, including the United States of America, China, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, France and others. The signing of this document marked the official end of hostilities of the Second World War, which began on September 1, 1939, with the attack of Nazi Germany on Poland.
Interesting facts
Battleship “Missouri”, on board which the Act of Surrender was signed, became a kind of symbol of victory over the aggressor. The ship was not chosen by chance: it bore the name of the home state of the then US President Harry Truman. Today, the “Missouri” has been converted into a museum located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Despite the official end of the war, the celebration of the end of the Second World War began earlier. For example, on May 8, 1945, Victory Day is celebrated in Europe after the surrender of Nazi Germany. However, hostilities in the Pacific theater of war continued for several months, until the surrender of Japan.
Interestingly, the date of the signing of the Surrender Act was September 2, 1945, Japan time, but for many countries east of the International Date Line, it was September 1. That is why in some parts of the world the date of the end of the war can be celebrated differently.
The surrender document was signed in several copies, which were then distributed among the victorious countries. Among them, one copy was transferred to the National Archives of the United States, where it is kept to this day.
A few weeks before signing the surrender, the United States used atomic weapons against Japan, dropping bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was the first and only use of nuclear weapons in combat conditions. These events greatly accelerated Japan’s decision to surrender, as it became clear that further resistance would only lead to greater losses.
The end of the Second World War not only ended the conflict, but also marked the beginning of a new era in international relations. The creation of the United Nations in 1945 was a direct result of the desire to avoid similar global conflicts in the future. The international community has united around the idea of ensuring peace and security for all nations.
On this day, commemorative events, ceremonies and parades are held in many countries of the world in honor of those who fought and died in the war. War veterans receive special attention and honor because their courage and sacrifices have ensured the peace we have today.
Notary Day
This holiday marks the important role of notaries in ensuring legal security and legality, it was established by the Decree of the President of Ukraine in 2010 to emphasize the importance of notarial activity for society and the state. According to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, there are more than 6,000 notaries working in the country, who serve both individuals and legal entities.
The notary system in Ukraine has a long history, dating back to the times of Kyivan Rus. The first mentions of notaries can be found in “Ruska Pravda”, a legal code concluded during the time of Yaroslav the Wise. At that time, notaries performed the functions of judges, drew up agreements, wills and other documents that had legal force.
While Ukraine was part of various states, such as the Commonwealth of Nations and the Austrian Empire, the notary continued to develop, adopting European traditions and standards. In the Soviet period, the notary office also played a significant role, although its functions were subordinated to state interests.
Today, notaries in Ukraine are important specialists who ensure legality and legal security when concluding agreements, registering inheritance, preparing marriage contracts and other legal documents. Their work is a guarantee of compliance with laws and prevention of fraud in civil legal relations.
Interesting facts
Notarized documents have a higher degree of legal force in court proceedings than documents certified by other means. This means that the notary, certifying the document, actually guarantees its authenticity and legality.
Ukrainian notarial documents are recognized in most countries of the world, which is an important aspect for Ukrainians who do business or have affairs abroad. Notarized documents are often used in international affairs such as marriages, real estate purchases and inheritance.
Notaries play an important role in protecting consumer rights. For example, they check the legal purity of real estate before selling it, protecting the buyer from possible risks and fraud.
Historical events on this day
490 BC e. — according to an ancient legend, after the victory of the Athenians over the Persians near Marathon, the Greek warrior Pheidippides ran 42 kilometers to Athens to announce the triumph. Exhausted by the long run, he only had time to exclaim: “Rejoice, we have won!” and died immediately afterwards. This legend became the basis for the Olympic marathon race, which was first held at the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.
44 BC — the famous Roman politician and orator Cicero delivered the first of a series of speeches against Mark Antony, the successor of Gaius Julius Caesar. These speeches became known as the Philippics, and because of them Cicero fell into disfavor, and the following year he was killed on Antony’s orders.
31 BC — during the Battle of Actia, Roman forces led by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Octavian’s general, won a decisive victory over the Egyptian queen Cleopatra’s fleet, which effectively ended the civil war in Rome and led to the establishment of Octavian’s power.
1192 — the end of the Third Crusade. English King Richard I the Lionheart concluded a peace agreement with Sultan Saladin in Jaffa, which ended armed conflicts in the Holy Land and ensured safe access for Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem.
1666 — the Great Fire began in London, which lasted for three days and destroyed about 10,000 buildings, including many historical monuments. It became one of the biggest disasters in British history.
1794 — on the initiative of the French Duke de Richelieu, the construction of the city of Odesa on the Black Sea coast began. Over time, this city became an important trade and cultural center.
1831 — the first part of Mykola Gogol’s collection “Evenings on a farm near Dykanka” was published, which became a significant contribution to the development of Ukrainian literature.
1834 — Samuel Colt patented his revolver, which became one of the most famous firearms of the 19th century.
1870 — after the defeat at Sedan, French Emperor Napoleon III abdicated, which marked the end of the Second French Empire and the establishment of the Third Republic.
1889 — a sea port began operating in Mariupol, which made this city an important transport hub in the southeast of Ukraine.
1945 — Vietnam declared its independence from France, which was the beginning of a long-term struggle for the recognition of sovereignty.
1990 — the so-called “Pridnistrian Moldavian Republic” was proclaimed in Tiraspol, which was the beginning of a long conflict on the territory of Moldova.
1993 — in Uzbekistan, they announced the transition to the Latin alphabet instead of the Cyrillic alphabet, which became an important reform in the language policy of the country.
2015 — The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a decision on the creation of the National Police, which became an important part of reforming the country’s law enforcement system.
2019 — Hurricane Dorian wreaked havoc on the Bahamas, killing at least five people.
September 2, 1996 a significant event took place in Ukraine – the introduction of the hryvnia as the national currency.
Hryvnia, the name of which comes from the ancient monetary unit of Kievan Rus, which was a silver ingot, became the official currency of the country as a result of the monetary reform. This reform was approved by the decree of the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma No. 762/96 of August 25, 1996, which was published on August 29 of the same year. With the beginning of the exchange of old coupon rubles for new hryvnias at the rate of 100,000 rubles for 1 hryvnia, a new stage in the economic life of the country began.
The hryvnia was known on the territory of Kyivan Rus from the moment of its foundation and had three main meanings: it was a sign of distinction, a unit of weight, and a monetary unit. At that time, rubles were parts of the hryvnia or pieces of silver with notches indicating their weight. Each hryvnia was divided into four parts, and the name “ruble” comes from the word “to cut”, because the silver ingot corresponding to the weight of the hryvnia was cut into four parts, which were called rubles.
Initially, the hryvnia was a fairly stable currency. At the time of its introduction, the exchange rate to the US dollar was 1.8 hryvnias for one dollar, but in August 1998, as a result of the economic crisis, the hryvnia depreciated significantly – almost three times, and the rate was set at a level of more than 5 hryvnias per dollar, at which it remained during the following ten years
Further changes in the hryvnia exchange rate took place in 2008, when, due to the global financial crisis, the exchange rate of the national currency fell from 5.1 to 8 hryvnias per dollar. These fluctuations reflected not only the economic difficulties faced by Ukraine, but also its ability to adapt to new conditions and challenges. Recently, the hryvnia exchange rate continues to gradually fall.
